User:Coffeesaga/Sandbox/List of common game terms

KeyForge players often use a wide number of different game terms and jargon when discussing the game. Although some of these terms originated from other collectible card games, many game terms are unique to KeyForge. This page contains a list of some of the most commonly used jargon among the KeyForge community. These terms are not official and are therefore not included in the Glossary of the Rulebook.

Terms Related to Card Effects

Board wipe/board clear

A card that removes many creatures from play at once

The term board wipe is typically used when creatures are destroyed, but not always. For example, in some situations, the card Hysteria is viewed as a board wipe, even though the card effect does not directly destroy creatures.

Examples:

Axiom of Grisk

Coward’s End

Bounce

To return a card from play to its owner’s hand

Bounce effects have multiple benefits. First, bounce is creature and artifact removal. Second, they cause your opponent to hold extra cards in their hand, creating a potential card advantage by preventing them from drawing at the end of their next turn. Some cards, such as Nature’s Call, also allow a player to bounce their own cards and replay them on the same turn. This is particularly beneficial with powerful combos like Nature’s Call and Dust Pixie.

Examples:

Nature’s Call

Hysteria

Targeted removal/spot removal

A card that removes only one or a small number of creatures from play at once

Targeted removal does not have to destroy the creature. It can bounce a creature to a player’s hand, reshuffle a creature into its owner’s deck, archive a creature, or place a creature on top of its owner’s deck. In general, decks benefit from having multiple different types of removal.

Examples:

Draining Touch

Kymoor Eclipse

Banish

Hard removal

A removal card that destroys or purges (not bounce, reshuffle, etc.)

Examples: Gateway to Dis, Bouncing Deathquark

Æmber control

The ability to manage the opponent’s Æmber pool

KeyForge features many forms of Æmber control in the game. A card can cause the opponent to lose Æmber (Bumpsy, Shatter Storm). Some cards steal Æmber (Rad Penny, Urchin). Some cards capture Æmber (City-State Interest, Sequis). Others increase key costs (Grabber Jammer, Faust the Great). A few are designed around unique effects (Curia Saurus, Hypnotic Command) that when played tactfully have the ability to control Æmber. This is not an exhaustive list, as the game developers are always creating new and original types of Æmber control cards. Examples: Effervescent Principle, ANT1-10NY

Scaling Æmber control

A card ability that controls a large amount of Æmber at once

Scaling Æmber control cards such as Too Much to Protect punish the opponent for gaining too much Æmber and can be an important tool against rush decks. The majority of Æmber control in the game is not scaling Æmber control; most Æmber control cards are able to control only one or two Æmber at once. Examples: Too Much to Protect, Forgemaster Og, Doorstep to Heaven

Taxing

Making the opponent pay additional Æmber to forge a key

Several KeyForge cards increase key costs and can be used to prevent the opponent from forging a key. Taxing, on the other hand, allows the opponent to forge but at an increased Æmber cost. It is effectively a tactic to force the opponent to lose Æmber. Example: Allowing the opponent to forge for 8 Æmber with a [Nyzyk Resonator] on the board

Æmber control in all three houses

Having the ability to control Æmber in all three houses of a deck

Many KeyForge players look for decks that have Æmber control in all three houses. If an opponent goes into check for their final key, having Æmber control in all three houses prevents a player from being forced into one or two house choices. Some players also strongly value having removal in all three houses, because it can reduce the impact of powerful enemy creatures like [Restringuntus]. In general, having a particular card effect in all three houses increases the flexibility and resilience of a deck.

Key cheat

A card that can forge a key outside of the usual Forge a Key step during one’s turn

Examples: Key Charge, Obsidian Forge

Artifact control

A card effect that can negate the impact of an opponent’s artifact

Artifact control can appear in numerous forms. The simplest forms of artifact control destroy or purge an artifact (Gorm of Omm, Reclaimed by Nature). Others allow players to take control of an enemy artifact (Sneklifter, “Borrow”). Some remove the card from play (Grasping Vines, Barehanded). There are even cards that let a player use and exhaust their opponent’s artifact (Remote Access, Nexus). Some artifact control effects are also quite complex (Blossom Drake). Examples: EMP Blast, Tachyon Pulse

Disruption

A card effect that limits your opponent’s choices on their turn

Disruption in KeyForge comes in many forms, but the goal is always the same: to prevent one’s opponent from accomplishing their game plan. Disruption cards can restrict the opponent from playing certain cards or houses. Discarding cards from an opponent’s hand is also a form of disruption, because this potentially limits the number of cards they can play. Examples: Ember Imp, Stealth Mode

Symmetrical effect

A card effect that is imposed on both players

Examples: Heart of the Forest, Grump Buggy, Quixxle Stone

Recursive effect/recursion

The ability to replay or return cards from the discard pile

Examples: Witch of the Eye, Exhume, Nepenthe Seed

Hate card

A card that is very powerful against a particular strategy

While hate cards have a narrow, targeted effect in the game, they can be extremely useful cards when certain strategies are very popular. If a hate card does not target a popular strategy, then often the card is not very impactful. Examples: Dysania is a hate card against decks that have a lot of archiving. Curiosity is a hate card against creatures with the Scientist trait.